Meteor Bill Pay

daenerysstormborn3

I received a text message from Meteor this morning saying that my bill is now overdue

There is no record in my bank account of this amount being requested and I have the money in my account since well before Christmas to cover my bill (the money is usually taken around 28th).

I have tried ringing Meteor but was on hold for 10 minutes and as I'm in work I can't be hanging around on the phone all day waiting to get through, just wondering if anyone has an e-mail address for Meteor?

They don't accept laser over the phone :rolleyes: so my only option to pay my allegedly overdue bill now is in the post office or in a Meteor store which I won't be able to do until the weekend.

SAHMOM

It could just be a transfer error with the banks being closed...As far as I know you can contact the via the website..meteor.ie.
Texts emails and post are all auto so I wouldn't be worrying about it too much, plus Meteor are really good to deal with (I had an overdue bill and they let me pay it off as suited me at the time )

Galadriel

That happened to me several months ago, they 'cancelled' my direct debit, they said I sent in a letter telling them to do so, they couldn't produce this magical letter of course.

So now I just pay cash in my local meteor shop each month - not worth going through that hassle with direct debits again, especially when they just cancel them randomly.

daenerysstormborn3

My meteor shop isn't quite so local and I work a good distance away from where I work so I can't even pop in there at lunchtime.

I have been told that Twitter is the best way to get any help from them

SAHMOM

just checked the website...you can directly mail them from there or there is a live twitter feed....They also have a facebook page

daenerysstormborn3

SAHMOM wrote: »

just checked the website...you can directly mail them from there or there is a live twitter feed....They also have a facebook page

I have been given stuff@meteor.ie as the best e-mail to contact them on. The contact form doesn't work for me for some reason.

daenerysstormborn3

I have just received this reply from Meteor

Thanks for your email.

I have reviewed your account and can confirm due to a Technical error the direct debit on your account was suspended last month after a rejected payment. This should reactivate automatically once payment is received and this did not happen on your account due to an error. I have no amended the account and resolved this issue.

I can advise however that you will be required to make a payment in a Meteor Store or Post office to clear the balance on the account for this months invoice. Unfortunately we wont be able to re-apply for the direct debit this month. I can advise that all further invoices will be debited from your account with the direct debit details you have provided. I hope this information is of some assistance to you.

So because of a stupid error on their part I have to go to the inconvenience of going to the Meteor Store or Post Office??

Galadriel

pixiebean22 wrote: »

I have just received this reply from Meteor

Thanks for your email.

I have reviewed your account and can confirm due to a Technical error the direct debit on your account was suspended last month after a rejected payment. This should reactivate automatically once payment is received and this did not happen on your account due to an error. I have no amended the account and resolved this issue.

I can advise however that you will be required to make a payment in a Meteor Store or Post office to clear the balance on the account for this months invoice. Unfortunately we wont be able to re-apply for the direct debit this month. I can advise that all further invoices will be debited from your account with the direct debit details you have provided. I hope this information is of some assistance to you.

So because of a stupid error on their part I have to go to the inconvenience of going to the Meteor Store or Post Office??

Check it next month to be sure it's sorted, that's what happened with me - they told me they had resolved the issue and then it happened again, the month after that they said the direct debit was cancelled.

SAHMOM

wow!!! That is a bit of a pain!!
Have a look over your bank account details on line and see if last months was rejected due to lack of funds. If not then contact them again and tell them so and tell them that you can not make it to a meteor store or post office due to work committments so they'll have to sort it out since it was thier mistake!!!

daenerysstormborn3

SAHMOM wrote: »

wow!!! That is a bit of a pain!!
Have a look over your bank account details on line and see if last months was rejected due to lack of funds. If not then contact them again and tell them so and tell them that you can not make it to a meteor store or post office due to work committments so they'll have to sort it out since it was thier mistake!!!

No, definitely wasn't rejected, I kept money specifically to cover my bill.

I refused to go to Post Office or Meteor Store so they've said I can pay by ETF through my online banking. They've also been told if it happens again they can sort it out themselves.

daenerysstormborn3

:mad::rolleyes:

Just checked my online banking to see that Meteor have today taken the bill amount from my account.

This is after I paid the bill amount on Wednesday, 4th January, which they didn't take on the usual date because of a technical error. I advised them I was paying the bill by ETF by e-mail and then told them when I had made the transfer and received a personal response from one of their representatives advising me that this closed the matter and the direct debit would be applied as normal on my next billing date.

Do you think I can get through to anyone by phone??

daenerysstormborn3

What an absolute joke! I just got through to Brian in Meteor and he said that Meteor reactivated my direct debit and that when they reactivate a direct debit that the money then automatically comes out of the customer's account and it'll take 5 working days for my money to be refunded to me. What an absolute joke! An on top of that they may require a bank statement to prove I actually made the transfer.

Beyond annoyed right now.

Is this the same with every single company in the world? They're all fine when you're buying from them but when it comes to customer service they don't know their arse from their elbow.

daenerysstormborn3

Brian from Meteor just rang me back and said that because they have no record of my ETF it will take a couple of weeks for me to receive my refund of my money that I willingly transferred to them because of their mistake.

What an absolute joke!

Of course when I asked to speak to a manager, Brian said he would put me onto his supervisor and his supervisor wasn't available and will call me back on Monday. I won't hold my breath waiting on that call!

Africa

It probably isnt. Sounds similar to UPC though for screwing you out of money and giving you the run around. The Meteor customer service is appalling on the phones, the amount of times Ive just been hung up on while they 'transfer' me is absurd.

daenerysstormborn3

Have been corresponding with another Meteor representative by e-mail and have met the same unhelpfulness.

She keeps saying "We have arranged for your refund to be processed immediately eventhough we have no record of receiving your money" like they're doing me a favour or something! I still have to wait over a week for my refund.

dahamsta

Vote with your feet, walk away.

daenerysstormborn3

dahamsta wrote: »

Vote with your feet, walk away.

Stuck in a contract :rolleyes:

dahamsta

If they keep it up, you'll have reasonable terms to leave. Just make sure you note every screw up and your responses to them.

daenerysstormborn3

dahamsta wrote: »

If they keep it up, you'll have reasonable terms to leave. Just make sure you note every screw up and your responses to them.

Doing that, that's why I started corresponding by e-mail, have heard of Meteor mysteriously losing tapes of phone conversations "they tape for training purposes" so just trying to cover myself.

I have told them to cancel any further direct debits and I will pay the bill myself considering they don't seem able to handle that simple task.

dahamsta

They really screwed up with that special offer, they're completely under-resourced now. I can't see myself lasting with them unless they get their house in order.

Eru

I just cancelled my order with these clowns. Ordered online 4 weeks ago, got confirmation and had my credit card billed then nothing.

Rang multiple times and always told "Oh someone will ring you back about that, there's no problems on my screen" but no call. emailed them, never replied and then tried their complaint page on the website, doesn't exist anymore!

Today finally got someone in sales after being hung up on twice and without being rude, could barely understand a word she was saying but we struggled on.

Apparently its my fault, I never got the emails or phone calls or text messages the company sent me. Yeah right, spam mail night happen but magic vanishing text messages and missed calls? eh no.

Turns out they don't recognise my bank details, checked and double checked but no joy so offered them alternative details but guess what? According to Meteor the second bank is not a real bank. Yep that's right, Meteor now decide who is a bank and who isn't. She even had the cheek to tell me "No, the bank, in Ireland" Sweet Jesus woman, I know what a bank is and so does all the other companies taking direct debits from it.

End of conversation? "Cancel my order, your incompetent"

So anyway, moral of the story, pay the slightly extra to get a professional, reliable company.

foggy_lad

pixiebean22 wrote: »

Doing that, that's why I started corresponding by e-mail, have heard of Meteor mysteriously losing tapes of phone conversations "they tape for training purposes" so just trying to cover myself.

I have told them to cancel any further direct debits and I will pay the bill myself considering they don't seem able to handle that simple task.

Make sure you go into your bank and tell them not to process anymore meteor direct debits because I doubt very much if your request for meteor to cancel it was heeded!

dub45

Once again this is disgraceful behaviour by meteor totally ignoring their obligations under the direct debit scheme. Please please remember that signing a dd mandate does not give a company carte Blanche to do as they wish with your account.

Please check here for your basic rights under that dd system:


http://www.ipso.ie/section/section/YourRightsasaPayer

A Direct Debit Guarantee is provided by your bank in the following form:

If you authorise payment by direct debit, then
Your direct debit originator will notify you in advance of the amounts to be debited to your account

Your bank will accept and pay such debits, provided that your account has sufficient available funds

If it is established that an unauthorised direct debit was charged to your account, you are guaranteed an immediate refund by your bank of the amount so charged where you notify your bank without undue delay on becoming aware of the unauthorised direct debit, and in any event no later than 13 months after the date of debiting of such direct debit to your account

You are entitled to request a refund of any variable direct debit which exceeded the amount which you could reasonably have expected, subject to you so requesting your bank within a period of 8 weeks from the date of debiting such direct debit to your account; your bank is entitled to ask you to provide factual elements relating to your request for a refund

You can request your bank to refuse a direct debit payment on your account up to close of business the day before the direct debit is due to be paid from your account
You can cancel the Direct Debit Instruction by writing in good time to your bank
 

There is more useful information about various obligations under the dd scheme in this post also in a meteor thread:rolleyes:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=76620113&postcount=13

dub45

foggy_lad wrote: »

Make sure you go into your bank and tell them not to process anymore meteor direct debits because I doubt very much if your request for meteor to cancel it was heeded!

Very important to remember that you cancel a direct debit by writing to your bank. Call into them if you can and ask for an acknowledgement of your request.

Some banks wil refuse to cancel through ignorance of the dd rules so arm yourself with evidence just in case:

http://www.ipso.ie/section/ConsumerCornerDirectDebitFrequentlyAskedQuestions

How do I cancel a direct debit?
You can cancel a direct debit by writing to your bank. It is also advisable to inform the originator of the cancellation.

What information should I provide in order to cancel a direct debit?
When you contact your bank you will need to provide your account details, the name of the originator and any details relevant to the direct debit.

Sponge Bob

pixiebean22 wrote: »

have heard of Meteor mysteriously losing tapes of phone conversations "they tape for training purposes" so just trying to cover myself.

They must have a recording of a contract negotiation...eg where Telesales accept an order or where a contract is allegedly renewed or extended.

No recording = No contract. You would be amazed how fast these companies back down when they are told to produce a recording.

Is the customer care still a shambles. It was diabolic late last year as they changed call centres from Waterford to Cork and even though the Cork staff are exceedingly pleasant to deal with they were untrained and unable to do anything in any way complex.

cast_iron

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Is the customer care still a shambles. It was diabolic late last year as they changed call centres from Waterford to Cork and even though the Cork staff are exceedingly pleasant to deal with they were untrained and unable to do anything in any way complex.

It's hit and miss. I was overcharged like everyone else (by €15). A phone call sorted it. Though it took another phone call to get the money refunded to my bank account. They just wanted to let it roll onto my next bill and apply a credit, but I insisted on a refund. Spoke to credit control and it was sorted straight away with refund in the bank 3 days later.

dahamsta

It took me a little longer, but I got there. I have to wonder how many people didn't spot this though, and how many €15s Meteor made out of it. An honest company would review their orders after having this pointed out to them, and refund the mistakes; Meteor seem to just be waiting until each mistake is pointed out individually, and then refunding. That's tantamount to fraud IMHO.

I didn't mind the credit so much, but it was applied in December, on the December bill; but it didn't appear on my bill until January, at which point they took 23% VAT off it. I complained and got my 2% back -- it's only a couple of quid, but it's my couple of quid. I wonder how many other people they shafted with this too.

Finally, their porting setup is a nonsense, they take your number during the order but then you have to contact them again to port, usually more than once, and even then they screw it up. It should be as simple as providing the number and authenticating ownership.

I made it 100% clear to them the last time I talked to them that there'd be no more chances, they'd had two strikes and next time I was gone. They didn't even reply.

dub45

dahamsta wrote: »

It took me a little longer, but I got there. I have to wonder how many people didn't spot this though, and how many €15s Meteor made out of it. An honest company would review their orders after having this pointed out to them, and refund the mistakes; Meteor seem to just be waiting until each mistake is pointed out individually, and then refunding. That's tantamount to fraud IMHO.

I didn't mind the credit so much, but it was applied in December, on the December bill; but it didn't appear on my bill until January, at which point they took 23% VAT off it. I complained and got my 2% back -- it's only a couple of quid, but it's my couple of quid. I wonder how many other people they shafted with this too.

Finally, their porting setup is a nonsense, they take your number during the order but then you have to contact them again to port, usually more than once, and even then they screw it up. It should be as simple as providing the number and authenticating ownership.

I made it 100% clear to them the last time I talked to them that there'd be no more chances, they'd had two strikes and next time I was gone. They didn't even reply.

Unfortunately there seem to be few instinctively honest companies left. You have only to read the forums here on boards to see that there is no moral compass anymore.

Companies have no problems with accessing customers bank accounts using data they shouldn't be holding and causing all sorts of problems for their "valued" customers. And unfortunately they have nothing to fear so they can behave with impunity. When you contact any of these companies it seems that no body is responsible for anything. There are no properly set down procedures apparently. How many times are Companies forced to behave properly and treat customers as they should have been treated from the start?

The only thing that companies fear is bad publicity.